Your Only Wish
by Akane Cullen
Summary: Everyone else has given up on hope for finding Uchiha Sasuke, but Haruno Sakura never gave up. She returns to the same shrine every year, asking for the same wish. While everyone has forgotten him, her hope never faded away. Will her wish ever be granted?
1. Chapter One The Beginning

**Your Only Wish**

**By Akane Cullen**

**A Naruto Fan Fiction**

**CHAPTER ONE / The Beginning**

**Haruno Sakura had a small, well protected scroll in her left hand and a pink umbrella in the other hand. She was well dressed for the occasion, but it wasn't a grand holiday. She dressed for a particular reason, and probably wore the warm kimono not that often. She was alone, as always, while the others didn't bother to celebrate with her. Most likely, they had forgotten. **

She stopped sadly just feet away from the _Torii. _Her sandals clacked, creating an echo as she finally moved from her spot. She had reached a wide puddle shaped like a pond, water splashing on her white cotton socks. She didn't seem to mind with an expressionless face and her pink locks of hair correctly in place. Her emerald eyes sparkled under the dark afternoon night.

She continued, holding the scroll with both hands and closing her umbrella before completely passing through the Torii. A few drops were sprinkled on her scalp, soaking through her thick, pink strands of hair. She passed the writing on the columns of the Torii and stepped through, coming out of the small pond and lifting her soaked feet. Still, she was expressionless, her eyes' glint under the moon disappearing as she walked towards the quiet and holy temple.

A quiet song seemed to have been playing through the holy realm, a illuminated barrier surrounding the temple as well as the world past the Torii behind her. She dropped her umbrella on purpose, the object's landing as light as a needle on the floor. It tinged endlessly, though, but no one else was in sight to hear the sound as well.

Her footsteps began to get louder as she got closer to the shrine. She slipped out of her sandals and set them on the small porch-like set, then passed the bright lanterns, passing by them without glancing at the eye-catching scrolls. She passed them with ease, sliding the front door of the shrine aside, then entering quietly with her wet feet. She tip-toed as she entered, hearing the shuffling of the priest. She looked up, meeting with the quiet priest, with his purple robe and black, religious top hat. He began wavering his staff, its shuffling sound seeming to be the only sound in the entire room.

Behind and next to the altar was another room, where a priestess appeared after sliding open the unnoticeable door. She came with a nice religious kimono, simple yet perfect for the occasion. Sakura met eyes with the two, nodding quietly to each other. Sakura approached the two priests that sat on their knees on the top platform in front of the altar, sitting peacefully with hands on their laps. They waited for Sakura as she took a comfortable position and began to speak.

"Has anyone else come with you?" Priest Hakou asked willingly. Priestess Edgar looked up willingly, too, after looking down with sad eyes. They both looked at Sakura hopefully, then frowning as Sakura gave them a sad response.

"Shall we begin?" Priestess Edgar whispered, clearing her throat as she patted her sleeves down.

"Yes, Priestess Edgar," Sakura replied weakly. She brought out the scroll - now it looked more like a parcel as she uncovered it from the parchment-colored cloth - and revealed a small box. She lifted the lid with sensitive movements, careful as if the antique wooden box would shatter. The box inside looked red and velvety, as if it stored a fragile object. But instead, five small strips of paper were inside, scattered inside the box. They all were written in but faced down, some up and folded. The three rose and Sakura brought the box with her and made their way back out.

Outside at the front porch of the shrine was a rack against the walls. They turned and bent down under the lit lanterns, a soft breeze coming towards them casually. Sakura kneeled before the wall, which was already full of tied fortunes or _omikuji_. Sakura didn't consider the fact that there could be at least a million, but kept her frown and sad eyes. She looked down sadly then back up, the priest and priestess joining her side.

"Ready?" they both asked.

"Yes," Sakura responded. She sighted a small gap between the many tied fortunes and wishes, taking one of the strips of paper from the box and reading it once more. She brought it to her chest and closed her eyes, then kissed it with hopeful lips. She placed it next to the rest, tying it with careful and merciful fingers.

"Please," she whispered as she continued tying the rest of the strips of paper. "_Please…Please _hear my prayers…I am the only one left that has faith in him…That someday…He'll return."

Once Sakura was done, the priestess massaged her back with her soft hand, comforting Sakura with the same, heartwarming words. Her voice made it beautiful and Sakura would never get tired of the same words, although they never came true.

"Do you have an offering?" Priest Hakou asked.

Sakura nodded and held her box, then waved her hand over it. The lid had returned and was placed over the tin box. Sakura shook it slightly and forced a warm smile, then entered the shrine. The priest and priestess followed curiously, watching as Sakura brought it to the altar.

"Please," she whispered again, to the wooden, minature shrine in front of her. She bowed down and knelt in front of the flowers and scrolls and candles, closing her eyes, forcing a small tear trickle down the edge of her eye.

"Please…Bring Uchiha Sasuke back to us. Bring him back…to me."

**A/N: I am sorry for not updating my Twilight Fan-fiction "Crimson Latch" or "Dawning Bell", but here's a Naruto fan-fiction. I know not all Twilight fans like Naruto, but here's a piece of Naruto writing to make up for my lack of activity here on Fan Fiction. Sorry and please review. ****J**** Oh, and Naruto doesn't belong to me. **


	2. Chapter Two The Purple Vase

**CHAPTER TWO / The Purple Vase**

**The next morning, Haruno Sakura was already home and was changed from the elegant kimono to her casual, shinobi clothes, everything attached and ready when needed. She checked herself in the mirror before stepping out, sighing after seeing the depressed bags under her dreary eyes.**

"If ya' can't beat 'em," she said as she opened a small drawer next to her sock drawer. She opened a small compartment with a jewelry box and battle tools and hidden slightly to the right of everything else, was the small case with makeup. "I might as well join 'em."

She came out of the condo with a tall, skinny lavender vase with three flowers arranged just right in her hands. The flowers were arranged by color, from dark to light. The first was a dark, blue color. It was a blue-ish orchid, standing as tall as the others, but seemed very important to Sakura-chan.

Next to the blue one was a pink flower, almost as bright pink as her hair color. It was a more popular in Japan - it was the sakura blossom. It stood in between the blue flower and the one next to the third and last flower - a rare, yellow hibiscus, which to seem to have been the one that stood out the most. Sakura smiled as it brought back a flashback, then walked down the steps happily as she made her way towards the Hokage's mansion.

She ignored the people around her as they rushed to and fro, setting up their markets and shops, the smell of food cooking in the morning and the smell of raw fish and vegetables and fruits. The scents all hovered above Sakura's fruit-scented head, until she went past the markets and reached the academy. She stopped and gazed at the tall academy, smiling at the heartwarming memories. Then she frowned. Her grip had loosened at one hand, with the other squeezing hard at the vase's slim figure. She looked down and sighed, then walked straight forward to where she wanted to be.

She met Hayate Gekko, who instead of sitting at the man desk of Konohagakure, stood against the wall in guard of the Hokage's mansion. She waved weakly and nodded, then was let through the gate without a word. Sakura passed through and immediately knew her way, as she had always come here every morning for the past few years or so.

"Hello, Sakura-chan." "Good morning, Sakura." "How do ya' do, Sakura-chan?" All these greets were heartwarming and welcoming to Sakura as she passed the small area before the Hokage's main mansion. There was a small garden of medical plants and fruits, all in organized boxes. If this looked like a lot, then you would be amazed at the more flowers and plants planted behind the mansion. Sakura longed to join them again, remembering her student years, but nodded and passed them again, entering the main mansion.

Just like the outside, although there were many busy people, it was still quiet and peaceful inside the mansion. This was the first floor. But of course, there's at least one person that screws up.

"Hi, Sakura-san." Shizune appeared, her green shinobi vest and long sleeved-sweater inside. She held out her long-sleeved arms, dropping poor Tonton on the floor. She squealed angrily and scurried away, while another pile of papers flew out of the clumsy Shizune's hands. "Oops." she sweat dropped.

"Good morning to you, too, Shizune-san," Sakura bowed respectfully. Tonton squealed and ran back to Shizune's side, the team as clumsy but busy as usual. This brought a small smile to Sakura's face, which she brought with her up until she reached the first staircase up, where she saw the photo frames hanging on the cracked, beige-colored walls. The photos were organized by reign, from the First Hokage Shodaime, to the current Hokage of Konoha. Sakura looked away and began her way up, reaching the quiet halls.

There were several rooms, which seemed peaceful with all doors locked. Until Sakura made the first steps forward into the long corridor that extended left and right, was when the first busy man stormed from room to room, several papers flying around the hall. Sakura was surprised and waited for the next people to cross, but she was tricked as there was a short paused, then more people storming from room to room. She sped through the people like a puzzle, then turned the quiet corridor to her right and found the largest and only room in that corridor - the Hokage's office.

Usually, when she reached the Hokage's office, she would be worried and scared of what would happen, because of two reasons. It would either mean she was in deep, deep trouble, or it could mean it would be another dreadful day in medical training. But today, she wasn't nervous at all. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered away and she held the knob comfortably, only a bit nervous of meeting the Hokage. She twisted the knob and found Uzumaki Naruto at the desk, staring tiredly at the many papers he was forced to read and stamp.

"Hello, Sakura-chan," Naruto greeted, his groggy voice turning into a much more happier and awake one as he spotted his pink-haired crush. He only blushed a little, seeing the vase in her hands.

"Good morning, Hokage Uzumaki," she stated in reply, bowing at her yellow, spiky-haired friend. Naruto wore his Hokage outfit, no longer the orange and black jacket and pants. He wore the same black headband, though, the light streaming through the windows bouncing on the metal sign of Konoha. He wore a white robe with red flames at the bottom, long sleeves, with a jonin vest inside. His grin gleamed and he beamed proudly with stamp in hand, then sweat dropping with embarrassment.

"Ah, Sakura-chan, you don't have to call me Hokage Uzumaki every morning," he mumbled.

Sakura laughed. "I guess I just can't stop calling you that now, seeing you with your Hokage outfit and tiring paperwork." That was the truth, but the only words that swept through her lips were, "I keep forgetting, I guess."

Naruto continued to smile and saw the flowers, keeping his beaming smile down to a heartwarming smile. Once he saw the colorful flowers, he immediately knew what the colors meant. Yellow for him, pink for her, and blue…For Sasuke.

"You still haven't given up, have you?" he said quietly, holding the flowers as Sakura gave them to him. She pursed her lips and set them down for him, nearly at the edge on the center of his desk, away from the piles of paperwork and writing tools. She tilted her head and noticed the picture on his desk, then opened her lips and replied, "No. But it seems you haven't, either."

Naruto looked away as she gazed at the dusty photo of their old squad with Hatake Kakashi, all in weird poses, Sasuke with the only annoyed look. She laughed to herself, wiping the glass with her glove. She set it down and looked back at Naruto, who still stared away from her gaze.

"Yes. I have."

"But why does this picture still rest here if you don't have anymore hope that he'll return?" she questioned.

"I only keep it here, because it brings back memories. Memories we can't relive," he said sadly. "This photo stands here for only one reason, and that it because it brings back that happy feeling. But it does not mean I knew for sure, that he'll return, because I've given up, Sakura."

"Out of all the people," she muttered. "You were the one that had hope in him. Now I'm the only one that has faith that he'll return. Just you wait…If you can't fulfill the promise you gave me-"

Naruto looked back at Sakura with a scowl. "Didn't we already discuss this, Sakura?" he growled. "Don't even go there…You know, too, that he won't return."

"Don't say that," Sakura winced.

"Sakura, he's been gone for seven years…Maybe more, I don't know. It's been so long, I don't even know how long he's been gone. Sakura, he won't come back."

Sakura still looked away with a hurt expression, holding both of her hands together. Naruto's strong voice kept hurting her, which was the reason the butterflies did not fully come out. She felt the need to go, so she turned around, ready to leave.

"Yes. He will."

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**A/N: Wow! I just checked the traffic before staring the second chapter, and found out that a lot of you have already read the first chapter! Thanks for reading and please review because I really want to know what you think! ^__^ I might post chapters daily because of the storyline - it all seems to fit together. I enjoy writing this and I hope you'll enjoy reading just as much. Thanks again and please review! **


	3. Chapter Three The Bad Part

**Chapter Three / The Bad Part**

**Two weeks later, Uzumaki Naruto had just arrived from a mission. He returned to his mansion and office, where he sat at the edge of his wooden desk. He had his battle armor on, his jonin vest changed into a heavy, bronze breast plate. He wore his dark, pine green pants and heavy black shinobi sandals. Over his armor, he wore the same white and red flamed robe. On his belt hung his weapon holders, from medi-kits to shuriken blades and scrolls. In his thigh kunai knife holder were the two most important weapons that belonged to him - two trident-like kunai knives from the Fourth. He kept them safe and sharp at all times, whenever he faced his next enemy. But for today's mission, he was forced to use them. **

He sighed as he brushed away his two long strands of hair at the side of head, covering his temples. He held his forehead with a stressed hand, touching the scratched up headband around his head. He traced around the carved symbol with his finger, then untied it with both hands. He held the metal part while the cloth around it dangled down his hand. He stared at the Konoha symbol, longer than he should have.

He was sad and depressed, with a troubled, sorry face. He was confused, angry, and hurt. He was in the middle of another problem, after solving one. He succeeded in his mission to save his village, yes, but there was another thing in the way. He wasn't sure how he would tell her.

His eyes were sad, even with the warm red that began to fade as his iris turned into its regular blue color, then his black, horizontal line of a pupil slowly turned vertical and dissolved, returning back to a solid black dot. He closed his eyes and sighed again, setting down his headband on his desk behind him. He stood off the table and sat down, setting his heavy, armored elbows on the wooden workbench-like desk, then resting his head in his gloved hands.

The image of the last thing he slaughtered returned to his mind, bringing tears to his eyes. He opened them and was brought out of the short, dreaded flashback, a single tear trickling down the edge of his eye as he continued to blink. He began unlatching his armor, from the rusted up bronze pads that covered his elbows, knees, and upper arm that extended to his shoulder, to removing his breastplate and setting them ignorantly on the floor next to him. He rubbed his shoulders and began moving them after letting go of the heavy weight put on him, trying to relieve the pain and stress. He longed for another massage, but maybe amnesia would be better.

"Ah," he grunted stressfully like an old geezer. "What will I tell Sakura-chan?" He rubbed away the only tear that trickled down his cheek to his throat, then tried to relaxed by rotating his seat towards the open window. He glanced at his dusty _Pucca _calendar given to him from Moegi, realizing that it indeed had been two weeks, and was nearly autumn time. He looked back out the window sadly, seeing the quiet area below him, where Gekko stood lazily.

"When are you going to tell her, Master Naruto?" a voice came in from behind. Naruto was alarmed, but immediately knew it wasn't a voice of an enemy's. He turned back in his chair and saw Yamato, and maybe the only one that knew of Naruto's secret. They stood alongside each other while in battle, and fortunately, both of them were not injured. Only a few scratches here and there. They were fine -almost. Although Yamato was not at all close to whom Naruto destroyed, they still shared the same pain.

Naruto did not respond in any way, for two reasons. One, he didn't have the strength to even speak anymore. And two, he had not yet known the answer to the question.

The two shinobi were left alone in the room quite a while and the awkward moment lasted until Naruto dismissed him. Wind came through the open window and leaves drifted in, circling Naruto like a twister. He let them orbit around them, until the wind died, and it was silent. Only then did Naruto notice it was night, and he still had a lot to do.

He still was quiet in his seat, his arms on his desk. Before he began his paperwork, only then did he respond, in a long time.

"I don't even know if she'll forgive me for what I've done."

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**A/N: This one may a be a bit shorter than the other chapters, but I promise the next one will be good and lengthy. :) Thanks again for reading & please review / comment when you have the time. Thanks again. **


	4. Chapter Four Alone

**CHAPTER FOUR / Alone**

**By the time it was Thursday, Sakura had already gotten the news of the Hokage's success. Although she was still upset about their short argument, she couldn't help but be relieved that her friend was alright. She didn't know what the mission was, but her only concern was her friend's and the village's safety. **

At least she got one problem off her chest, she thought. She was lying down in her gloomy room, her eyes bouncing from wall to wall, trying to find something to distract or catch her attention, anything to keep her mind off of the thought in her head. She wanted to experience joy and happiness again. She wanted to _relive the memories_.

The rack was always on her mind, where the fortunes were tied on each pole. As she scanned through them in her mind, she couldn't help but stare at the one fortune she knew was hers. The warm smiles from the Shinto priest and priestess appeared next to the walls, the bright lanterns hovering above them. A couple feet away was the Hokage mansion, with Naruto standing in guard in front of the mansion. His voice suddenly boomed and the images went away.

"_He's not coming back!" _

Sakura flinched and bolted up, panting for some odd reason. Her chest was cold and hot at the same time, her heart about to blast through. She held the sheets underneath her with her sweaty fingers, her eyes sore as if she had been crying, and her hair warm and wet as though she was sweating. She continued to breathe uncontrollably, until she got out of bed, pushing away her blanket behind her.

She paced for a while, then stepped barefooted into the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and turned on the shower, adjusting it to warm, then undressed. She stepped into the warm shower and closed her eyes, feeling the warm, steamy water shower over her…

Her 'dreams' seemed to have continued, rather than starting from a new image, but this one wasn't as painful as the last. Naruto was still in the picture, but it seemed like he was tired and stressed, nothing close to angry. He wasn't about to yell or shout, which gave Sakura a relieved feeling. But she was still worried about him, as if watching him from a live, secret surveillance inside the Hokage's office.

Just like her moment back at the shrine, she stood against the wall with her eyes closed and watched Naruto longer than he should've. A couple more assistants came dropping by with another stack of papers, but no matter how many Naruto stamped and read, he still had that same look on his face - and you could tell he couldn't stop thinking about his problem…Whatever it was.

Suddenly, the water had gone cold, and it brought Sakura out of her dreams. She jumped a short distance off the slippery shower floor, her fingers curled into a fist as if she was holding a kunai in defense. Her eyes were wide and alert to her surroundings, until she realized that it was only the cold water that sprinkled on her body that woke her up. She felt ridiculous and stepped out of the shower. She put on her robe and blow-dried her hair. She went back in her room, slipping into the clothes she put on before. She was too lazy to rummage for new ones.

Today seemed boring and silent to Sakura, as if someone had died. Little did she know that someone did, indeed, die. But that thought was too far away from the scenes she kept seeing every time she closed her eyes…

…Then came the scary one, of a dead body, lost in the forest. She was running through the thick wood, through the dark and creepy forest. Her voice echoed as she called for any type of company, but her loud echoes were too loud to hear anything else in response. As she ran deeper into the forest, it quickly turned to a mucky, damper, and scarier background. Everything suddenly turned pitch-black, as if her closed eyes were enough black to cover everything up.

She heard shuffling movements around her - animals hidden in the shadows - and a weak cry. Wisps of fire started coming her way as she continued forward. Sakura didn't want to keep going, but that was how her dream went. The flames grew thicker and the wisps seem to have come from a bonfire.

When she was close enough to the source of flames, there she saw Naruto, standing before the bonfire. Sakura wondered what he was doing there, which would probably be the first question anyone would wonder. But instead of saying it out loud, she continued to watch. She wanted to see him while behind something, to keep him from seeing her…But since she was in the thick shadows, it would probably be enough to keep her away from Naruto's sight. And the last thing she wanted him to do was look back at her, with a smirk across his face.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked in a curious tone.

"Hello, Sakura-chan," he replied casually. He dropped something into the fire and it crackled louder as it was being fed. Naruto still had the grin, chuckling softly to himself. One hand was in his robe's pocket while the other continued dropping things into the flame. Sakura thought he was tossing in rocks and twigs - but she could've sworn he had thrown in a bone.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm cremating a body," he said in a normal tone, as if there was nothing wrong with his statement. So he _was _throwing in bones, Sakura thought, a shudder sent down her spine. She swallowed and stepped back, but edged forward as if there was a hold behind her.

"W-what?" she stuttered. "Whose body…A-are you…b-burning?" she gulped nervously, taking the risk in stepping an inch away.

Naruto looked down and his laughter began to boom louder, then his fingers slowly grew as well as his nails, from nails to claws. He held his forehead with one claw hand, still laughing evilly under his cloak-like robe, the collar of his robe folded up as if he were a villain. Sakura was worried now, her arm raised out to him, as if it would do him any good.

"Ah, Sakura-chan. Still naïve, as always. Whose body do you think it is? Of course, you must know…" he had a ripped piece of cloth in his free hand - it was tattered and obviously in really bad shape. He showed it to her and she wish she hadn't seen it. She looked away at the stinging sight - it was a blue patch, with the symbol of the Uchiha Clan sewn into it.

"…Sasuke?" she whispered.

"Yes, Sakura. Sasuke. I…" he said slowly. "…killed him."

Sakura stood frozen where she was. As she placed weight on her foot that was behind the other as she attempted to run back, she fell in a gap - or a crack - in the earth and fell back through the narrow hole. Sakura heard Naruto's footsteps as he rushed toward her, but could not stop her fall. He heard his worried voice - as if he cared, she thought as she was dropping farther down the earth - and soon it was just one distant sound, that stuck in her head in maybe - forever.

And the sad thing was, no matter how much she tried waking up, she could not. She stayed in the pitch-black darkness…But there was one good thing in this as well - she didn't feel the magma through the earth's deep layers. She was alone in the darkness, blank, painless and silent. She seemed paralyzed…And would have to wake up tomorrow morning.

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**A/N: He-he. Thanks again for reading - there's not much else to say but thanks. I really want you guys to comment / review, because so far there's only been one! [thanks to Disgruntled reader] So please, please, please tell me what you think. Thanks and stay tuned. :P Oh, and *gasps* =]**


	5. Chapter Five Useless Greetings

**CHAPTER FIVE / Useless Greetings**

**The next morning, Sakura woke from the dreary and horrifying dream. She saw the purple vase she had taken back from Naruto during their argument - or so she thought. The three flowers were wilting and the petals were shriveled up, thirsty for water and sunshine. This wasn't exactly Sakura's 'cup of sunshine'. She sighed and sat up with a throbbing head and sore back and neck, after sleeping on the 'wrong side of the bed'.**

She brushed her hair like a dreaded beast, not caring if there were still some strands of hair sticking out. As long as it was straight and settle, it would be enough to be out in the public. She barely touched the hairspray or curlers, and began her day with her daily uniform, out into the brilliant sunshine of Konoha.

Why was she so miserable today, she asked herself. Her body froze as she blinked, only the shortest second of darkness striking her back. Oh, right. The dream.

She forced a smile and faked a laugh as the villagers were bright and early on the Saturday morning. They teased and laughed, greeting the Fifth's well-known student. She continued to wave, as if she was the winner of Ms. Konoha, and kept moving on. She stopped by the ramen shop, ducking under the high curtain, then saw the empty seats at the shop.

She was sad - again - seeing the empty seats, and imagining Naruto there with her. She sat at the second seat to the left, smelling the many broths that began to brew as well as the tea at the kitchen behind the counter. Sakura smiled - but had no happiness at all - when she saw the one who ran the shop, with a sharp, proud grin on his face.

"Why, hello, Lady Sakura. Oh," he paused, seeing the empty seats around her. Sakura didn't look around, just stared at the brown table with the table mat over the surface.

"No Naruto - oh, I mean, no Hokage Naruto?" he asked curiously.

"Afraid not," Sakura said, her voice cracking. "I'd like just the _udon _special today," she went on, stopping the him from continuing what he was about to say.

"Oh. Right away, Sakura-san."

She disregarded the sounds of the kitchen and continued to stare at the blank table mat, where her bowl would be placed later on, and saw a pair of chopsticks. She took them and inspected them, then tracing an endless line on the table mat. She imagined the _kanji_ for _hungry, _then it lead to, _alone_.

"Here you go. One udon special." Sakura was impressed when she faced a steaming bowl of thick noodles; it came quicker than she thought her order would come…Or maybe she just spent a lot of time drawing imaginary kanji characters.

"Thanks, mister," Sakura said, forgetting the old man's name. She looked up and thanked him with a warm smile, noticing the old signs in his face. He had wrinkles at spots he didn't used to back when there was still a Squad 7. He had become old, just like the rest of the men Sakura grew up with, that worked at the local shops in Konoha.

"No problem," the guy replied, blushing through his wrinkled face. He left Sakura while she ate sadly alone, still having the feeling that Naruto would come and join her, even though he had rejected him so many times in the past. But now of course, what were the odds?

---

"So many to do," Naruto complained to himself as he ran his hand through his messy, thick blonde hair. He narrowed his eyes at the longest page he had read so far, then knit his eyebrows with a confused expression. He groaned and glanced up, looking at Lady Fifth's picture hung above his _Pucca _calendar. He smiled back at Tsunade's smiling face, her first headshot as Hokage.

"How do you do it, Granny Tsunade?" he laughed.

There was a sudden knock at his door and Sakura came in, with the same purple vase in hand. But instead of the shriveled flowers, she brought in a new bunch - more than three flowers - a bunch of the same flower. The purple vase was filled with the most common flower in Konoha - the tulip. You would think it was the sakura blossom, but strangely, Sakura had arranged tulips.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan," he said weakly, his smile slowly fading away, even at the sight of the tulips. She placed them on his desk quietly, bowing down without looking up. She stood five feet away from his desk, silent and dark.

"Oh," he mused, after noticing her sad face. "No sakura blossom? Hibiscus? Orchids, no?" he arranged the flowers, pushing them together while holding his pencil in between his teeth. He left another pair of teeth marks, adding to the set already bit on the pencil's wood.

"I guess I'll be going," Sakura mumbled, turning away without replying to Naruto's comment. He stopped her, called her to turn around and face him, then gave her a wide smile.

"Ah! No kiss? No goodbye?"

"You perv," she shook her head, a smile appearing.

"That's my girl."

Sakura frowned, then turned away, setting her hand on the knob. Naruto cleared his throat and had one more offer.

"Would you…Um…Now that we're grown up and stuff…"

"You haven't changed, have you?" she laughed.

"Well…want to?" he continued, nudging his fingers together shyly.

"Whatever."

"Tomorrow then?" he exhaled.

"Tomorrow," she agreed.

And with that, Sakura walked out, the smile still there, leaving Naruto with a triumphant smirk he could not get rid of. "Yes!"

_That's my girl. _"He's such a cheesy old geezer." Sakura laughed and left with a smile, not even noticing Yamato behind her as she walked out of the exit.

**

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A/N: Hmm…Thanks again for reading. =] Thanks for all the hits…I'm a little disappointed that I still haven't gotten any feedback, but I'm grateful for all the views this story received. Thanks and a chapter will come your way tomorrow. [Oh, and just to keep up the 'daily chapter' streak, you may notice some run-on sentences or some mistakes in these chapters, because I post them fresh after typing them. I guess I don't have time to change some things, so…yeah…bye.] OH, and if this might be late, it's because of the 'trippy' internet connection. Thanks again for reading - AND FOR THOSE WHO CONSTANTLY ask why this is under the Naruto & Sakura category, I wasn't really planning on making this "romance" story...But now that a few of you have already brought it...continue reading and see what happens!


	6. Chapter Six Fun?

**CHAPTER SIX / Fun?**

**Sakura hated the fact that she was being stared at by the others, because of who she strode along the markets with. She blushed, trying to hide it with a 'tough' scowl, always moving an inch away when Naruto got too close. She saw Yamanaka Ino at the flower shop, looking away when she spotted her. Naruto's proud grin only spread farther, wrapping an arm behind her shoulders. **

"Calm down, Sakura-chan," Naruto chuckled. Ino began to come over, with an arranged bunch of roses. Sakura flushed and wanted to nudge him away, hearing a girl's squeal behind her. Oh, that's right, Sakura thought with a bit of enthusiasm. She was going out with the _Hokage._

"Hello," Ino smiled, pretending to arrange the petals more carefully as she faced them. Sakura and Naruto paused, but it was mostly Naruto that stopped to show off. Ino giggled and scurried Sakura away with her, hiding the roses behind her back as she began.

"Ooh…You're going out with the Hokage!" Sakura sweat dropped. Yes, she was capable of that, she thought. She heard the same girl from before behind her, a couple feet away, running away like a fan girl with the group she belonged in. Ino continued, while Sakura heard Naruto show off proudly.

"So…" Ino mumbled awkwardly.

"I thought you were going to make fun of me," Sakura muttered embarrassingly.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"So," Inuzuka Kiba said with his hound beside him, Akamaru's tongue out casually, sniffing the barbeque meats from a mile away. He wagged his tail anxiously, whimpering to his master.

"Going out with Sakura? Finally…It was about time you got your first girlfriend!" Kiba joked, patting Naruto on the shoulder roughly.

"Oh, shut up," Naruto frowned. But in reality, Sakura would really be his first…date. He shied away, his face turning red, Kiba snickering behind his back.

---

"So…we haven't spoken much ever since…" Sakura had a tough time speaking of the subject. She didn't look Naruto directly in the eye for two reasons she didn't want to speak of, either. As she looked away from Naruto and the bowl of meat in front of her, she continued quickly, hoping it would help her get over it.

"…Ever since Tsunade-san passed away. Then you were announced Hokage of Konoha - then…You've been so busy and was held down by a lot of responsibilities…Mostly burdens, huh?" Sakura kept on, a sucking sound interrupting her thoughts. She smiled warmly and began to eat her food, hoping he hadn't heard her stupid, babbled words. She looked up at the clock above them, realizing that it was three in the afternoon. Sakura attempted to find a way to start a conversation, but was answered by Naruto.

He gulped down the rest of his soup, sighing, then turning directly toward Sakura in his seat. "So, what do you want to talk about?" the necklace he wore glinted under the lights of the famous restaurant in Konoha, and the richest. Music played softly in the background - rock music - and sizzling sounds surrounded the kitchen. _Ding _here, then the sound of clacking plates…

"Oh, about the burdens and stuff - yeah, I guess they're alright. A lot of missions here and there, but mostly your job consists of paperwork. The last mission I had received was really hectic -" Naruto stopped. Sakura raised an eyebrow and stopped chewing the piece of meat in her mouth, forcing it down and asking what was wrong. Naruto shook his head, then ordered another plate of food.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked worriedly, poking him with her chopstick. Naruto laughed stiffly, forcing a smile. An ugly thought suddenly jolted into his mind - he tried shaking it off, shoving more food in his mouth as if to keep himself from talking or thinking; this only got Sakura more suspicious. She lost her appetite and sipped her cup of mild sake, feeling like a younger Tsunade by the minute.

---

Sakura and Naruto were back at Sakura's place, alone, sitting awkwardly two feet apart on the sofa. They had a bowl of snacks in between them and the remote on the table. They both were silent, the ceiling fan twirling as the loudest sound in the room, the lights off and the shades down.

"Should I turn on the light?" Sakura asked, glancing up at the fast fan.

"You…Shouldn't," Naruto replied. Sakura didn't want to reject his reply and took a chip from the red plastic bowl. Crumbs fell out her lips as she tried crunching politely. Naruto glanced at the bowl and disregarded it, then looked at Sakura with a warm smile.

"Um…Yes, Naruto?"

"Nothing," Naruto said, looking away without the grin slipping out.

"Why don't…We watch television?" Sakura suggested, reaching out toward the remote on the clear-glass table at the center of the whole living room. They both extended their arms toward the table, their fingers touching as they both held the remote. They looked at each and blushed under the weak light of the room. Sakura took the remote herself and switched on the television, flipping to each channel, glancing back from the television screen to Naruto. Naruto did the same, but both of them looked away before they caught themselves looking back at each other.

At last, they both agreed on one station - the channel that played movies endlessly throughout the day. They watched the movie quietly, laughing when it was funny and frowning when it wasn't. Soon, they were on the second movie. They were comfortable with each other and Sakura ended up on Naruto's stomach, lying on her side and both laughed in unison.

The hours flew by, and Hokage Naruto had forgotten all his worries. He had Sakura lying on his stomach and he couldn't stop blushing. As he tried moving her, he realized that she had fallen asleep. He smiled and began brushing each strand of hair away from her face, seeing half of her smiling face from the position he was in. He turned down the volume of the television and gazed at Sakura's angelic face.

"So beautiful - I feel so lucky," he whispered, running his fingers carefully through her beautiful, short, pink hair. But…" he argued with himself. Suddenly Sakura squirmed and her smile turned into a frown and Naruto began to panic. He froze and put his hands to his side. Sakura blinked and fluttered her eyes open, yawning dreamily. She spotted Naruto and smiled, trying to hide her embarrassment, then nodded briefly.

"Thank you, Hokage Naruto, for such a good time."

"Thank _you_," he muttered, suddenly feeling tired himself.

"Good night."

"Good night, Sakura-chan."

Sakura wanted to say more but left, and so did Naruto. They left it at that and both stressfully left the dark living room. Naruto switched off the television and rose from the comfortable sofa. He wasn't so stressed out, but longed to be with Sakura again. He walked slowly - taking his time - toward the exit door and left Sakura's home, while Sakura had the same thoughts herself, in her quiet and lonely room.

"Naruto…"

"Sakura…" they sighed in unison while in two complete different places.

"Thanks for tonight."

* * *

**A/N: AWW! Ha-ha. I wasn't really planning to make this such a "love story", but I guess it is now. I'll try to keep it "normal", but I gotta admit, I thought of the scene in **_**Twilight **_**when Naruto and Sakura were together. Thanks for reading and stay tuned. =] Oh...And in the beginning...it might be a bit choppy, because I just didn't like introducing other characters. :P**


	7. Chapter Seven Karin in the Cloak

**CHAPTER SEVEN / Karin in the Cloak**

**{A/N: Spoiler alert?! Okay, just to make things clear - I'm so behind in Naruto anime/shows, and have only made it past Naruto Shippuuden episode 40-something. So if I have things wrong, excuse me. And about "Karin", I have no background on her, and I haven't seen or read the manga about her, and have only went on Google to figure out what she's like. So please forgive me for any wrong info and just in case you haven't made it to who "Karin" is, yes, she's a real character in Naruto, then you might as well stop here. Thanks.} OH - Note that this is a FF, and since I've heard rumors of some characters' deaths, they may still be alive in this story…Example: Mr. Weasel XD And vice-versa.**

**---X---**

"**So," Karin said awkwardly as she stood before the many blood pools and lifeless bodies around her. "This is how it all ends."**

The wind blew roughly against her hair, a tumbleweed tumbling through the breeze, the wind currents causing a lonely, cold whistle. Karin stared at the bodies, as if they would respond to the solemn sounds of nature. It was like a Genjutsu illusion, only it was normal for the country to look this way at this side of the world.

"Out of all the ones that died…I thought you would survive, Master Orochimaru," she said, nudging her glass higher into the bridge of her nose. She nudged Orochimaru's lifeless body with her bloody, sandaled foot, the shocked expression on his face kept firmly on his pale and true identity. A grin was stuck as if the muscles in his face were paralyzed, his snake-like eyes wide open, his expression as creepy as ever.

Next to Orochimaru was Kabuto's, his spectacles perhaps feet away from him - were broken and shattered into poor pieces of glass. His face was as lifeless as ever, his hands spread out to a full arm span, a deep hole through his chest. His uniform was ripped and his body was bare, exposed to the dreary weather. His tattered clothes were ripped off him, so they were still attached under his pants which were still on with a few holes and cuts.

"And you," Karin said, passing Orochimaru's other innocent and little delinquents. She stopped, a kunai knife struck through his also bare chest. Uchiha Sasuke was lifeless with a blood pool under him, his face just as lifeless as the other person, but with a pain struck expression. He had drops - splashes - of blood across his face, part of his hair covering half of his face.

"Uchiha Sasuke - I never liked you…" she broke off and stared with a disgusted face, then spat on his bloody face. "May you burn in hell, Uchiha, like the rest of your clan."

"Harsh words, don't you think?" a man in a dark, deep cloak said behind her. Black, long cloak with red clouds at the bottom of the long uniform…The glinting ring on his left hand. No doubt about it - he was part of the Akatsuki.

"An Uchiha himself," Karin said bitterly, turning around toward the source of the voice. She knew better than to look him straight in the eye and kept her eyes locked on the only bloodless spot of soil on the ground.

The vicious, crimson red eyes and the jet-black Uchiha hair…Yes, no doubt about that, either. He was - possibly - the only Uchiha left that survived as well as the one that killed them all off - Uchiha Itachi. _(Weasel = Itachi XD)_

"What do you want?" Karin growled.

"Just a simple favor," he replied in his deep voice. Karin looked up, trying hard not to look above his nose, seeing his pale face. She smiled, feeling his weak strength. He was old and going blind the more he used his kekkai-genkai…That was one disadvantage he had. Karin began to feel confident, glancing a second at the old man's eyes.

"_Yet_ you still don't cease to exist, Uchiha?" Karin mumbled, as if reading his mind.

"I wish to live as long as I desire."

"What is the favor?" she said aggressively. It was his turn to grin, his wrinkly smile irritating Karin's impatient mood.

The strong wind currents continued and the two spoke, while a sneaky spy watched and listened a distance away. He was pale and tall, yet creepy and wise. He had one ear held out, straining his ears to hear the two villains. It was Yamato, listening on in their plot to unite forces.

---

**1:00 P.M.**

Sunday, Konohagakure

"Hokage-domo," Yamato said as he went through the Hokage's office with a swift move. "I have urgent news."

"Yes, Yamato-san? What is it?" Naruto replied, looking up from his paperwork. He was relieved, to at last take his eyes of something less puzzling.

Yamato was tired, but tried his best to breathe normally. He paused, swallowed, and continued. "As you know…Orochimaru and his spies are dead - that's counts Uchiha. But there has been one survivor."

Naruto didn't look very concerned. He just squinted and nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"It is Karin, a female, and a member of another organization, the Akatsuki, has talked to Karin."

That did it. Naruto was now wide-eyed, his eyes slowly turning into demon eyes as his temper rose quickly. "What did they want?"

"Uchiha Itachi and Karin - I overheard their conversation. They plan to join together…Karin agreed, and now they have one more member."

"Go on," Naruto said through his gritted teeth. He had a file in his clawed hands and as Yamato slowly continued, his fingers were balled into fists and his claws began tearing through the important paper he needed yet to stamp.

Yamato continued, explaining what they were plotting against Naruto. And by the minute, Naruto began to burn. He swallowed, biting his lip. Once he was done, he was quiet and looked away from Naruto with respect, not bothering to help Naruto out. Naruto granted him permission to leave, which he did, and Naruto took the time to himself, throwing the holed up contract away, rose from his seat, and gazed out the window with a furious scowl.

"So they planned to be together, huh?" Naruto growled to himself, nearly calming down. "Let's just see if they'll get past me first."

Outside Naruto's door stood Sakura, who has just come and held her ear through the door. She had passed Yamato, noticing his expression, and held her ear closer.

"I now know my next mission - and maybe my last."

Sakura gasped at his words, dropped the purple vase in her hands and froze behind the door. Before Naruto could come to the door and see where the shattering sound came from, Sakura had fled, leaving the broken vase scattered on the floor, as well the puddle of water and the three flowers that soaked into the water. Naruto faced the broken vase and three flowers on the floor, looking down sadly as he understood who had dropped them.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I'll make this quick. Thanks for reading and please review! Ha-ha…Stay tuned for the next chapters! Oh…And sorry if this seems short…at all. LOL.**


	8. Chapter Eight Mad

**CHAPTER EIGHT / Mad**

**( A/N: Oh and I would just like to add - sorry if this chapter sucked. And this chapter was inspired by "Mad" by Ne-Yo. Enjoy. OH AND LAST SPOILER ALERT. maybe.****)**

**keywords: Akatsuki, Naruto, Sakura, Karin, Itachi, Hidan, Kakuzu ...**

**Sakura walked along the shore in her dreams, wearing a ruffle-like skirt that went down to her ankles, brown summer-time sandals, and a tank top, nothing close to her usual shinobi outfit. She seemed peaceful but suddenly had a troubled, confused look, then an angry one, as if she had no idea what expression she should have had. **

It was nearly August and the weather was warm, both in her dreams and in real life. Sakura always had this dream - and she knew how it went. And just like all the others, Naruto was always in them…And strangely, Sasuke was never in them, no matter how many times she thought about him in real life. But really, she thought about them both…most of the day.

These dreams became more frequent; Sakura walking along the shore, then Naruto walking toward her excitedly. At first Naruto would seem so excited - even after the 'incident dream' with Sakura falling in the gap - and would always fall for his happy face. But the only thing he would be happy about would be someone's death - Sasuke's death. Of course this would bother her, but in the end she just didn't believe it.

But Naruto wouldn't be so happy and evil as in Sakura's dreams. It would be the complete opposite in his realm of dreams…

Sakura stood in a room with wooden walls and furniture - like they were both in a cabin. She stood beside the class window with wooden rods bordering the pane of glass. Outside it seemed like a sunny day, a perfect day for taking a hike out in the woods…But what were they doing in the woods in the first place?

Sakura suddenly turned back, with a pained face, as if she had been crying. Naruto saw himself and felt what he was feeling…He froze and paused as Sakura gazed back at him. She was staring at him and Naruto stared back, wondering what she was thinking.

Nobody's talking, because Naruto suddenly felt like they had been fighting. Somehow he knew that he shouldn't talk, because soon it would emerge into another argument. Sakura stood uncomfortably, holding herself with her sleeved arms, looking up to bring back the tears. Naruto stepped aside and continued staring as she walked past him, hearing her sniff.

His dream slowly transitioned to another setting; they were both in a room, while still in the cabin. Naruto and Sakura were lying down, with Sakura on her side, away from Naruto. He stood on his back, and arm behind his head and one on his stomach, while he stared at the solid oak-ceiling.

_So what the hell do we do now? _He thought depressingly. He had the urge to turn on his side and embrace Sakura, but he stayed put, his eyes shut softly, feeling a tear run down his cheek. He felt horrible, and he could tell they were both feeling the same way. The strange thing was, they both didn't even remember why they were fighting.

---

_Ding-dong._

Sakura ran down the stairs, still with a robe on, and made her way to answer the door. It continued to ring, pissing Sakura off. She scowled at the door and gathered her robe to cover herself underneath, then unlocked the door. Her frown turned into a straight line as she met with the person at the door.

Naruto smiled warmly and brought out a purple vase filled with flowers that weren't arranged correctly, but could show Naruto's effort in collecting a bunch himself.

"Sakura-chan…" he paused, then glanced up at down at her wrapped self. He disregarded her upset face and grinned. "Ah! Sakura-chan, it's past noon! Why are you still in your robe and pajamas? You look awful…"

Sakura rubbed her eyes and snagged the vase, tossing it as gently as she could on the sofa next to her. She looked back at Naruto, waiting for whatever else he had to say. She gave him an immediate face that clearly showed her impatient feeling.

Naruto swallowed, surprised at how she took the flowers so stiffly. "Did I-" he stuttered. "Um…I was just wondering. The festival is coming up soon, and I was wondering…Sakura, would you like to join me?"

Sakura still had a stiff frown, looking away distastefully. "Naruto…No," she replied bitterly. She was feeling hurt…Which Naruto couldn't understand.

"Sakura…What's wrong?"

Sakura squirmed uncomfortably, then swiftly reached for the door and flew it at Naruto's face. But before the door could close and lock, Naruto stopped it with his palm, also feeling a bit impatient and angry.

"Sakura-chan," he said, struggling to sound calm. "Why are you acting like this?"

She hesitated, then looked him back in the eye. "Where are you going?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked back with a questioned frown.

"You know. Naruto, what's your next mission?" Naruto paused, then looked away, about to leave.

"You're not about to leave…Not until you answer my question," Sakura growled, getting a firm grip on his robe. She tugged back and Naruto nudged away, then looked back at her.

"We better get inside then."

**---X---**

"I would hate to ruin such a nice body," Karin stated flirtatiously as she stared at Hidan with devious, cat-like eyes with his double-bladed scythe poked at his throat. She stood on his chest while he was down, with Kakuzu captured a hundred feet away.

"Get off me, bi-" Hidan grunted as he reached out for his only weapon.

"Uh-uh!" Karin teased, running the blades through Hidan's short hair.

"Stop..!"

"Stop it," Itachi hissed as he had his back on them, while staring at their leader, awaiting his reply.

The hologram in front of them twitched and hissed with static sounds, while the hologram image of their leader moved while making a decision. "What is her name again?" he asked, in a loud speaker voice - it was deep and made so it was no where near how it truly sounded. He sounded like a robot - almost.

"Karin," Itachi replied. He gestured to Karin, who held away Hidan's scythe while he was still down, her foot in his chest.

"Very well, then," Pain said, his hologram-self nodding. Karin bobbed her head and the hologram switched off.

A ring suddenly fell to the ground right after the static hissing ended. It was a new ring, that earned its own scratches as it clacked and fell into a stalagmite in the dark cave they were in. No flame was made to bring in any source of light and Karin whined, while Itachi was the only one with the ability to see with enough clearance to take the ring with ease.

He read the kanji, nodding and tossing it behind him. Karin dropped the scythe and caught the ring with her hands cupped together, stepping off Hidan and looking at the ring as it gave a weak glint in the dim cave.

"It says 'ring'. Don't make a fuss about it. Here - paint this on your nails." Itachi walked away after tossing her a bottle of purple nail polish, as well as a cloak every Akatsuki member wore.

"Ring? You couldn't do anything better than that?" Karin whined, nearly tossing the ring away. She froze as Itachi turned and glared at her - she stood stiff, then nodded, slipping on the cloak.

"I'm just saying," she grumbled to herself. "'Ring'? Your leader couldn't do anything better than that..?"

Hidan grunted as he stood and stole his scythe that was left dusted on the ground. Karin stuffed the bottle into her 'invisible' pocket, frowning as she realized that her cloak had no pockets, whatsoever. Hidan chuckled and followed Itachi from behind, Karin jogging forward while hiding the bottle somewhere else. They went out of the cave and stopped at the cliff, then leapt off and entered the forest below them.

"Hey…What about meee?" Kakuzu called, his voice muffled as he was tied up with thorned vines at the deepest point in the cave, left behind.

**--X--**

"No matter what," Sakura said. "I _will _be alongside you, Naruto, even if you say no. Even if you've given up on Sasuke, I know I will find him."

Naruto swallowed and nodded, looking down sadly at the coffee table in front of them. Suddenly, the vase that was set on the table suddenly cracked and shattered, as danger made their way closer to them.

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! THANKS. :)**


	9. Chapter Nine Escape

**CHAPTER NINE / Escape**

"**So…Now that we're starting my first mission with us together, what's my weapon? Huh?" Karin asked, leaping onto another branch and bobbing her head closer to the shrouded Itachi. He was kept to himself, while Kakuzu and Hidan watched from behind, studying Karin's flirtatious, annoying personality. Karin disregarded them, but still glanced back from Hidan to Itachi, thinking her own grim thoughts - recreating an image of Hidan and his open, bare chest. **

Karin kept close to Itachi, still waiting for an answer to her question. Itachi grunted, irritated, then turned his gaze at Karin. Karin looked back hopefully, gripping her sloppily painted fingers together impatiently. She had many weapons in mind, rejecting shuriken and kunai knives, plotting whether or not to steal Hidan's weapon if she got a 'lame' weapon.

Itachi looked back onto the forest road in front of them, landing on a branch and leaping faster on it, attempting to escape Karin. He failed miserably, Karin only pushing closer to him. He sighed and scowled, as if he was squinting forward, and gritted his teeth, thinking of a response. He closed his eyes, still being able to leap from branch to branch, thinking hard for a weapon to throw her off. If it would keep her out of his nose for at least an hour, he would be happy.

"Itachi? Itachi? Itachi!?" Karin nudged, a pathetic grin beaming through her cloak.

"Don't start," Itachi replied darkly. He clenched his fist and his eyes stirred - Karin swallowed, disappointed, but not afraid of his "skill". She pouted silently, letting herself slip behind to her "dark spot".

Just when Itachi thought he had been relieved, Karin squealed and beamed brighter than a kunai knife under a bright sun. "Itachi-san!"

"Damn it, Karin!"

"…_giggle."_

**--X--**

"I would give you advice, Naruto-san, but -"

"Don't…Yamato, don't start," Naruto replied firmly.

Naruto held his fists tightly together, his nails puncturing through his bare palms. Blood began to ooze, but Yamato was in his dark spot, ignoring the loud drops of blood that made a red pool…Slowly.

Naruto sat at his chair, arms on the windowsill, staring angrily down at the peaceful Konoha. He tried imagining peace for Konoha, but he kept thinking of destruction. Even with Orochimaru dead, along with his minions, there was still one enemy left hiding - the Akatsuki. And strangely, the Akatsuki's goal wasn't mainly for him - now he was just another goal in second. Their main goal was something else, something Naruto couldn't quite get, and something that he felt would affect the whole village…Maybe the world.

"What do we do now?" Yamato whispered darkly. Naruto kept still, staring at the setting sun, hearing the lonely birds chirping, as if they knew they were in grave danger. The breeze swept through the village, traveling from Sunagakure to Konohagakure - a bird flying through the wind current, and entering through the other window of the Hokage's office. Naruto ignored the bird for a moment, then reached for the white, snow-owl like bird that entered.

The bird bobbed its head and craned it down toward Naruto's outstretched hand, then the bird opened its beak, the well-kept and spell locked scroll dropping into Naruto's bloody palm.

Naruto held a sign, whispering "release", the spell tag sizzling to ashes. He untied the scroll carefully, unknotting the two pieces of thin, red yarn, and unrolled it with care. Yamato bobbed his head curiously, walking closer as he got a close view of the newly made scroll. It was an urgent message, from none other than the Kazekage Gaara himself.

It was written in precise, yet urgent penmanship, a drop of black ink smudging across half the parchment. Naruto read it quickly, and was sure to only make sense of it after reading it at least twice. Yamato grunted and rose, already finished reading the urgent letter. He looked down sadly and turned toward the door, with Naruto saying his parting words of command. "Get your squads ready, Yamato. They're coming."

---

"What do you mean they're coming? Who?" Sakura asked impatiently, following Naruto as they scurried along the corridors of the Hokage's Mansion. Naruto checked and advised, making more commands as they made their way. Sakura continued to ask, getting nowhere, wearing on her black gloves. She pulled them down to her wrists and folded the ends, tightening her fists as she fitted them on.

"They are coming," Naruto repeated as a reply, pushing through a room on the second floor. He spotted three other jonin helping each other equip themselves with armor and weapons, two medics helping them pack and heal any previous injuries, and heard their busy voices disregarding the Hokage as he checked on them. Sakura continued to follow as the busy Hokage inspected everyone, then pulled Sakura aside once they reached the last and first floor.

"Naruto," Sakura began.

"Listen. While Yamato's army is getting ready, we must move as the rest are guarding the village."

"Why are you talking like some…"

Naruto paused, staring at Sakura, waiting for her to finish. Sakura looked away, ashamed, and took out a kunai knife, gripping on it's handle. She touched the sharp tip of the knife with a tip of her finger, while Naruto nodded and adjusted his armor. They made their way out of the mansion, meeting with Shizune at the exit, also in armor.

"Shizune, be careful," Sakura whispered, glancing down at Tonton.

"Shizune-san," Naruto said as Sakura went on ahead outside. "Remember my last command. Please fulfill my promise…Alright?" Naruto narrowed his eyes, Shizune nodding sadly and looking away, listening to Naruto's last steps out the door. She looked at Tonton and swallowed, going their own separate ways.

Naruto waved his cape-like flamed robe, his armor jingling, and jogged alongside Sakura, out through the village.

"Alright team," Shizune said, many groups of medics lining up together in front of Shizune. "Let's beware of our enemies and teammates - and help anyone you spot that needs our help. Let's make Hokage-san proud.

"Right team?" Shizune yelled at the top of her lungs. Her group saluted proudly, then took off as well.

Shizune was left, a breeze surrounding her, quiet and sad. It would be normal to be worried for their Hokage, but it wasn't normal to have a hunch that something bad would happen to them.

Sakura and Naruto took off through the empty Konoha gate, then split up and ran through the thick forest, ascending higher through the branches and farther towards Sunagakure - the Village Hidden in the Sand…Where the Kazekage, who supposedly 'wrote' the letter, awaited them.

**A/N: Sorry about the short hiatus. I will update as much as I can and luckily, summer vacation is almost up...So...Yay. :) PLEASE REVIEW...Thanks for all the clicks. :) My goal is to have at least ten reviews by the end of June. Hopefully I'm not asking for too much. ;P Thanks for reading and the next chapter is coming your way.**


	10. Chapter Ten Lost Creatures of the Forest

**CHAPTER TEN / Lost Creatures of the Forest**

**A/N: Sorry about the short 'hiatus' or whatever you'd like to call it, but basically I would like to say sorry for the delay of chapters. As you've probably noticed, I've posted a new SasuHina Fan Fiction, but it doesn't seem to have the same views as this one. ;) Well…Thanks for waiting and hopefully you don't hate me. D:**

**---**

**Through the rough forests, you could never tell if it was night or day, or if the horrific creatures of the forest were asleep or not. You had to be extremely careful, especially when one actually reaches the center of the forest…Where Sakura and Naruto set their camp, both tired after a strong battle with a giant, enigmatic spider. If the center of the forest was this difficult…What would it be like halfway across toward the end?**

Naruto wiped the sweat off across his forehead under his headband, panting harshly with Sakura on her bottom with a tired frown. Naruto unlatched his breastplate, placing it down gently against the tree's trunk. Their camp was set on a large branch, far up from the forest floor, where more creatures were bound to destroy them.

"Naruto," Sakura whispered, gasping for breath, as if she had just come from underwater. "I have a bad feeling about the path we're taking."

Naruto took one deep breath, then unlatched his shoulder pad and tossed it beside the rest of the armor he unlatched. He sat down with his legs crossed, his hand on his scratched-up metal headband. He licked his dried lips and searched for his canteen, ignoring Sakura's statement. She continued, searching for her own medicine to revive herself.

"Why does it feel like we've been going in circles? Do you really think it was a good idea to take this path - through this rough forest, as a shortcut to reach Sunagakure's main gate?" Sakura held a small capsule, the length and width of her pinky finger, and twisted its silver cap. A thin puff of smoke hissed out of the tube as she unfastened it, the liquid itself sizzling to the air it let out.

"Naruto-san," Sakura said worriedly. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"Then you think of a way to get us out of this hell," Naruto replied aggressively as he lied on his back, his arms behind his head. "The only way we'll be able to get out is if we keep going - until we find at least one stream of sunlight."

Sakura paused and choked the potion down, a sour-bitter taste burning her tongue as she let it slither down her throat, causing her to gag. Her medicine wasn't as good as her master's - yet - and the terrible taste was proof enough. She tossed the tube away, letting it roll of the tree's strong branch. It rolled off the branch and made its way down to the dark forest floor, where it would be impossible to search for again.

"Don't litter," Naruto muttered.

Sakura ignored his warning and began to burn up as she felt a sudden rush through her spine, followed by a shiver she hated. "You're still such an immature brat…If you expect me to lead the way. You're the hokage, Naruto. Not me."

"If you plan on rescuing your precious Sasuke, then how do you expect to go through all these monsters alone if you can't even think of another route out?"

"Now you're blaming me?" Sakura laughed skeptically. "I can't believe you."

Sakura stood and walked away until she was at least at a fifty-feet distance from where Naruto slept for the night, and rested to where another tree trunk met the long branch they set camp on. She pulled out a picture frame out her bag and held it close, a single tear slowly falling down her cheek. Soon…Tomorrow…She would get over it, she thought displeasingly. Hopefully, she would cry herself to sleep.

**--X--**

Who would've guessed that hundreds of feet below Naruto and Sakura's branch were where our villains are, sneaking through the night, feared by everything else around them. Little wisps of dark fire surrounded them, and possibly protected them from 'bad spirits'. Inside the realm of dark fire were four, shadowy figures, the leader alone, another alone behind the figure, and two figures last of the group. Glowing through the dark realm were red clouds, one after each figure inside the small group. But out of them all, the leader's crimson eyes stood out the most through the shadowy forest.

Itachi's Sharingan wouldn't last for long. Through his eyes - through the leader's eyes - everything was a blur. The sharper the color was, the blurrier it was. He could sense the many devious powers around them, but could not aim for the source of all that strength. He paused, his partners behind him stopping as well.

"What?" the center girl demanded, feeling a bit impatient. Itachi scowled and hesitated, then brought out his hand, extending his arm through the wisps of fire, a small tube suddenly falling into his hand.

"What is it?" Kakuzu said groggily, creeping forward slowly with curiosity. The one behind him stayed put, and knew that eventually he would know what it was. As Kakuzu walked fourth, the red clouds at the bottom of his cloak shifted along his movements, following wherever he went - as if the clouds guided him.

Itachi felt groggy himself - he closed his eyes and kept the item safely hidden in his cloak, slipping his whole arm back into the sleeve, hiding his fingers and the tube that fell into his hand. Hidan rested his scythe on his shoulder, then sighed stressfully. He nodded with approval and the wisps of dark flames slowly hissed away as they slowly prepared for camp, and hid their existence.

"Why do we need camp?" Karin grumbled.

"Because I need it," Itachi replied stiffly.

"And we call ourselves missing-nins." Itachi didn't reply, but closed his eyes tiredly, wishing that he didn't know what was up for him…Soon, he wouldn't be himself again.

"You idiot."

At that last remark, Itachi grabbed Karin by her cloak and pulled her close to his lips. He worded each word with disgust, hoping it would haunt her the way his fate haunted him. Karin froze, full of shock, closing her eyes as Itachi's cold breath blew over her face. She pushed him away, whining with disgust.

"Ew!"

"If I'm going down…" Itachi hissed, pulling Karin back closer toward him. "I'm going to make sure you're coming down with me." He closed and strained his eyes, while flashing them back open, his eyes another frame lower, causing his disability to see - worsen.

"Disgusting, Itachi-san," Karin murmured, finally out of his grasp. She brushed away the fake dirt, then rushed away back to her dark-spot, behind everybody else. As she stood behind, keeping her distance close to a tree, she heard a hiss and rustle.

"Remember Karin-san," the snaky-voice hissed behind her. "Kill himm…"

Karin jumped and looked back behind her, seeing nothing but the dark, thick forest, not sure what else lurked through those deep wood. A shudder was sent down her spine, a cool warning pouring over her. She swallowed and leapt along, biting her lip as she moved on, while still keeping her distance at least two meters away from the rest of the group.

Hidan chuckled, bringing his scythe over to his shoulder. "Uchiha really got her shuddering this time." Kakuzu agreed, but still had a puzzled face, not sure if that part was sarcasm, or if he was actually telling the truth. Either way, Kakuzu agreed, beaming evilly to himself.

**--X--**

"We're nearly there," Naruto said, holding his hand over his forehead as a visor, to protect his eyes against the bright and hot sun of Suna. Sakura had a brief grin of triumph, the tough dust whipping against them, as if a welcome to the shinobi of Konoha. But the welcoming 'dust' wasn't welcoming after a few moments, as Sakura and Naruto's grin fell, and silence was around them.

"We _are _here," Sakura muttered. "But something's…Wrong."

Naruto squinted and jumped off one last branch, then landed on the Suna property, the main gate just a few meters away. Sakura leapt off behind him, thinking to herself. The main gate was unguarded, which Naruto immediately knew was a complete mistake. On the other hand, Sakura began to think, as Naruto began to jump to conclusions.

"What's going on?" Sakura whispered, walking slowly behind Naruto.

"Stop!" Sakura said, suddenly pausing. As if it were a warning, a stronger gust of wind blew them forward. "Something wants us to go forward," she explained through the loud gusts of wind. A gale was soon coming toward them, as Naruto was too anxious to realize it was coming.

"What?" Naruto called, holding his hand above his head and squinting. He strained his ears, hoping to get a better ear on what his partner was saying. But it was no use - the strong wind currents were too loud and forceful, only bringing them both down together.

"She said get down, you idiot," Hidan stated impatiently. Naruto and Sakura turned around, alarmed, readying their fists to attack the intruder behind them.

Naruto froze, while it took a bit longer for Sakura to realize who the enemies were. Soon, all three Akatsuki members faced them, with sharp, blazing eyes, giving them the unexpected feeling of an ambusher.

"Itachi," Naruto muttered, keeping his fists out, his body positioned into an attacking stance. Sakura gasped, then turned around in a flash, kicking blindly to a figure that began to twirl behind them.

"We can't afford to die now," Sakura said. Naruto agreed. "We have to find Sasuke…"

Naruto disregarded her last comment, but kept his head down while glaring angrily at the enemy facing them. As Hidan was ready to strike, Itachi's grin swept fourth and stopped Hidan's arm from lifting his scythe. He let out a chuckle, while bringing out his menacing eyes.

"Sasuke?" he said playfully. "So you haven't told her, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gritted his teeth, then attempted the first strike forward, while taking out a sharp dagger out of its case.

"Naruto-kun," he repeated in a false, sweet tone. Then he said, evilly, "Do not let my questions pass without giving an answer…Or you'll be the next victim of my power."

Itachi and Naruto were head to head, while Itachi held Naruto down with their wrists against each other. Itachi restrained Naruto as he did with Hidan, while slowly lifting his eyelids and revealing his crimson eyes.

"Your eyes don't scare me, Itachi," Naruto growled. "You've gone weak and blind…Old man."

Sakura still had her back turned on Naruto, but heard their words and actions clearly. While keeping her defense up, she asked a question Naruto wished she hadn't. "…Tell me what?" At first she had asked that quietly, until she had grown impatient and repeated it louder. "Tell me what, Naruto!?"

Itachi began to press his wrist down harder, while smiling devious as he gained strength. "Go on, Naruto. Tell him about Sasuke-kun."

Naruto grunted and swept away, leaping up and summoning a clone. It charged for Itachi's back, but was only swallowed up by a flock of shadowy birds that substituted Itachi's body.

Karin, Kakuzu, and Hidan had disappeared as well, and began charging for the lone and clueless target; Sakura-chan.

"Why won't you tell her?" Itachi mocked louder, while appearing behind Naruto. Naruto charged again and nearly fell as Itachi's body was swept away again. They continued higher until they were finally mid-air, with Itachi's hissing aggression keeping up smoothly.

"Tell her now, Naruto-kun…Before it's too late," he whispered in Naruto's ear.

"Rah!" Naruto shoved him in the stomach with his elbow, Itachi disappearing once again.

"Tell her now!"

"Un!" Sakura grunted as she was taken down by the group below Naruto.

"Tell her!"

Naruto refused, binding more chakra, trying to ignore the shouts and sounds coming his way. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate.

"Tell her now!"

Naruto strained.

"Tell her that your precious Sasuke is DEAD!" Itachi shouted.

And as a last thing Sakura had heard, she heard those exact words, and was thrown aside simply, nearly dying both physically and spiritually…I say _nearly_, because Sakura can't die…Not yet.

* * *

**A/N: OMG! IT'S ALL ALMOST OVER! *CRY* WHY AM I STILL TYPING IN CAPS? I DON'T KNOW! SORRY FOR THE HIATUS - AND KEEP READING! PLEASE REVIEW…STAY TUNED!**


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